Cable depositing apparatus



Feb. 7, 1961 w. FRIEDEL 2,970,364

CABLE DEPOSITING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 7,1961 w, FRIEDE 2,970,364

CABLE DEPOSITING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

INVEA/TaEx PRIOR ART AMA/=90; F/P/Efld? United States Patent F CABLEDEPOSITING APPARATUS Wolfgang Friedel, Egelsbach, Germany, assiguor toFirma Fleissner & Sohn, G.m.b.H., Egelsbach-Frankfurt am Main, Germany,a German firm Filed Oct. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 764,686

Claims priority, application Germany June 16, 1958 8 Claims. (Cl. 281)This invention relates to a system of handling and laying cables, cords,strings, bands, strips, and lengthy webs. The term cable herein used isintended to comprehend any lengthy flaccid material, which may befibrous, cellular, plastic or the like.

In the handling of cables it is customary to feed a cable lengthcontinuously from the extrusion or calendering or similar manufacturingplant and subject the same to further treatment prior to leading saidcable onto a reel or reels. Such treatment may include drying ormoistening, or may on some occasions include impregnation with afungicide, a substance resistant to salt spray and the like. To thisend, the fed cable is deposited by means of a suitable reciprocatingmechanism which includes a member that traverses a straight line pathsomewhat above a conveyor belt surface and that deposits on the belt, inthe course of such traverse, the cable that it draws along; Uponapproaching an edge of the belt,the member reverses its path andproceeds in the opposite direction until the opposite edge is reached,whence another reversal occurs. Accordingly the deposited cable definesa periodic zig-zag or like pattern on the conveyor belt. While lying onthe conveyor belt, the cable is subjected to one or more of thementioned treatments. The conveyor belt is of suitable length, and theconveying speed is selected to be suitably slow, so as to permit thelapse of a sufiicient period of time, so

that the treatment may take full effect prior to take up 2,970,364Patented Feb. 7, 1961 further advantages and novel features of theapparatus embodying the invention, reference is made to the followingmore detailed description, considered together with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus which issomewhat schematically shown and embodies the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of an apparatus pursuant to theinvention, but modified with respect to that shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the conveyor surface showing thepositioning of the material according to the prior art.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is disclosed a pair offriction cage rollers 4, which are disposed above and somewhat to therear of a substantially horizontal conveyor belt 7, which is driven atuniform velocity in the direction indicated by arrow 8 by means of apair of cylindrical rollers and 31, which in turn are driven by externalconstant-speed drive means (not shown). The axes of the rollers 30 and31 are parallel to one another and therefore perpendicular to thedirection of motion 8, as indicated by the arrow 9.

One or both of the rollers 4 are driven by suitable constant speed drivemeans (not shown), and frictionally engage a cable that is fedtherebetween from any suitverse cable lengths that are parallel to oneanother with gentle curves at the points of reversal.

An array of parallel lengths is optimum in respect of permitting highlyuniform cable treatment, and also in respect of accommodating a maximumof cable length per unit length of conveyor belt.

It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide meansfacilitating depositing of a cable on a conveyor belt so that thedeposited cable lengths are generally parallel to one another. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide means avoiding excessiveacceleration schedules in carrying out the deposit of cable lengths on amovable conveyor surface.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means conducive tothe prevalence of substantially solely con-- able supply apparatus (notshown). The cable 5 is ulti mately deposited on the conveyor 7 in apattern as shown, i.e. in lengths substantially parallel to the axes ofrollers 30 and 31 (perpendicular to the direction of conveyor beltmotion) with loops joining consecutive parallel lengths alternately nearthe opposite edges of the conveyor belt 7. The conveyor belt 7 may be ofrelatively small length; it should be, however, understood that inactual practice it may be sufficiently long to accommodate considerablecable length at any given instant, thus permitting prolonged and uniformcable treatment of the type described.

Means are provided for forming these loops and to deposit them on theconveyor belt 7, which include an endless chain or belt 1 driven in thedirection indicated by arrow 6 by means of a pair of pulleys 13 and 23,one or both of which in turn are driven by suitable constant speed means(not shown). It is to be appreciated that the described arrangementinvolves three constant speed motions, namely the speed of feed of thecable 5, the speed of endless belt Land the speed of conveyor belt 7. Itis preferable that the means providing the three drives be adjustable,that is operable over a speed range; however the speed at any settingshould be constant. These three speeds are progressively lower inpredetermined relations in the order named. This arrangement is to becontrasted to a known apparatus of the prior art which requires suddenstoppage upon cable reversal. As will be seen immediately hereinafter,the apparatus in accordance with the invention performs the functions ofloop forming and loop depositing while moving unidirectionally and atconstant speed.

The roller 13 is disposed above and somewhat behind the adjacent rearedge of the conveyor belt 7, but below and somewhat to the front of thevertical plane of contact of the feed rollers 4, in which vertical planethe cable 5 is caused to descend generally vertically downwardly due tothe feed motion of rollers 4.

The other roller 23 is disposed somewhat forwardly inclined of andsomewhat below the front edge of the conveyor belt 7. The plane of belt1 and of pulleys 13 and 23 is inclined-with respect to the plane ofconveyor belt 7 at the indicated angle 13 (see also Fig. 2); asrepresented in Fig. 1, the angle ,8 is defined by a pair of lines 24 and25 generated by the intersection of a vertical plane with the plane ofthe conveyor belt 7, and the plane of the belt 1 and pulleys l3 and 23,respectively; more particularly the vertical plane is one that is.parallel to the transverse cable lengths reposed on belt 7. The belt 1is tilted through an angle on with respect to the vertical plane in acounterclockwise direction; for convenlences sake these spacialarrangements or" the plane represented by lines 24 and 25 are indicatedas translated rearwardly (in the direction of movement of belt 7) byrespectively coplanar and parallel lines 24' and 25; the angle on isthus formed by the intersection of the vertical plane including belt 1and pulleys 13 and 23, and the vertical lane including lines 24' and25'. Thus the plane containing pulleys 13, 23 and belt 1 is rotatedthrough the angle a with respect to the vertical plane including lines24 and 25, such that pulley 13 is located to the rear, and pulley 23 tothe front of line 25, as seen in the direction of the conveyorbeltmotion.

As will be seen hereinafter the oblique tilting of the belt 1 by theangle or results in deposition of the cable on conveyorbelt 7 parallelto the direction 9, i.e. to the axes of rotation of cylinders 39 and 31,rather than obliquely thereto.

The belt 1 is provided with a plurality of equispaced, smoothly polishedpegs or pins 2 which as indicated may be secured to the belt in anyappropriate manner, or may be integral therewith. The integral formationis especially suitable in the case of selection of metal or rubber asthe material of belt 1. The relation of each of the pegs 2-to the belt 1is such, that the fixed end of the .peg is located on an inwardlydirected surface of the belt so as to avoid interference with the smoothbelt passage over the pulleys-i3 and 23. Each peg extends substantiallyhorizontally-in"parallel relation to the axes of rollers 13,23,-andrearwardly of the belt-1, th'us'forming the angle/3 therewith.Alternatively the pegs-may form an angle somewhat greater than 13, i.e.extend downwardly as well as rearwardly from belt 1.

The disposition of the belt 1 and pegs 2 relative to the feed rollers 4is such, that a given peg 22 engages the cable portion 5a then dependentfrom rollers'4, as peg Zz travels from thetopmost-location 32 to thepoint of mu gency 33 of the straight belt portion and pulley 13. The pegthus pushes thecable portion 5a toward the righthand; in view of thefactthat the rate of descent of the cable 5 from the rollers-4 issubstantially greater thanithe rate of motion of the belt 1, aspreviously explained, the cable 5 is caused toloop over the peg and todepend also from the left side of said pegas shown withreferenceto peg2y, thatimmediately precedes peg 2z, as seen in the direction ofmovement 6. Each peg thus supports a cable loop, and in addition asecond free loop is formed for each such supported loop, again by reasonof'the fact that the rate of downward descent of the dependent cableportion 5a is greater than the rate of rightward and subsequentlydownward movement of the portion of cable dependent from the left of pegZz. The loop generation is repeated as each-subsequent peg 22 contacts-a subsequent cable portion 5a. Again due to the speed differential offeed rate of the cable 5 and speed of beltl, aided by the fact that thepegs are smoothlypolished, the loop portion of belt 5 that isinstantly-supported by'a peg is not carried p rmanently thereby, butrather isslidably displaceable-relative to such peg.

Therefore, as a-peg advances in the direction of arrow 6, the lengths ofcable instantly dependent from the left and right sides of such pegincrease continuously, but at a progressively diminishing rate. -Asillustrated, ultimately each free loop 2 reaches and touches the uppersurface of the conveyor belt 7 at itsrearedge 7b,'when'ce ityisdeposited thereon towards the front edge 7a of the same. The depositedfree loop is'then carriedalong by belt 7, while at the same time thecorrespondingly *supported loop is further guided downwardly by a peg,

thus gradually depositing double cable lengths across the conveyor belt7. As a peg, such as the peg 2w reaches a location approximately on aneven plane with the upper conveyor surface, the pulling or drawingaction of the conveyor automatically slips off the supported loop fromsuch peg; the loop lands on the conveyor 7 toward the front edge 7athereof and is carried by belt 7 from hereon forth. The peg 2w continuesits downward and forward movement, clearing the belt 7 with amplemargin.

It is readily apparent, that from the instant of deposit of the freeloop until the instant of deposit of the corresponding supported loopprogressively more of the deposited cable length .is moved in thedirection .3; it is for this reason that the belt 1 is tilted throughthe angle a; were it not for such tilt, the deposited cable would notextend in the direction of arrow 9, but obliquely thereto. Of course, anoblique array may be acceptable or even desirable; in such case themedium axis of the pulleys 13 and 23 is placed in parallel relation tothe vertical plane including-lines 24 and 25. Alternatively, the sameeffect may be produced by suitable adjustment of the conveyor speedrelative to the belt speed, as reflected by the rate ofconveyor'movement relative to the rate of cable deposit. Here B is thedistance considered along the direction of motion of belt 7, between thefree loop which is just being initially deposited, and the free loopwhose corresponding supported loop is just deposited, and A is thedistance, measured along the horizontal length of belt 1, separating theaforesaid supported loops corresponding to the free loops joined by lineB. It is readily apparent that the conveyor speed to horizontal beltspeed ratio is 81.4.

Further, in order that the cable be deposited'in lengths perpendicularto the direction of motion of belt 7, as in Fig. 1,-it-is-necessary thatB=A-Sinu COS {3, or

sin a-cos B or that the conveyor speed to belt speed ratio be sina-cosp. This equation is not satisfied in the showing of Fig. 3, wherethe speed ratio is greater than sin u-cosfi, and consequently the cablelengths are oblique to the direction of the conveyor motion indicated byarrow 9.

Fig. 2 illustrates amodification of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1,and also serves simultaneously toindicate further underlying relationsthat govern the performance of the apparatus. In Fig. 2 the belt 1' isarranged to pass over a plurality of pulleys 10 to 14 inclusive, whoserotational axes are at an acute angle to the direction of the conveyorbelt 7 motion. Supply rollers 4' are disposedparallel to the motion ofthe conveyor belt 7. Assuming a tilt through the angle on (Fig. 3),which maybe omitted or included as desired, the pulleys 11, 12, 13define vertices of a projected isosceles right triangle formed by thebelt 1', whose one equal leg 11 to 12 extends below the conveyor belt 7widthwise thereof and in a plane parallel thereto.

The other equal leg 12 to 13 is perpendicular to leg 11 to 12, and thelength 11 to 13 is the hypotenuse of the right'triangle, subject to adeviation from a strictly triangular construction occasioued by theadditional pulleys 14 and 10. The pulley 14 is located near the point ofrelease of the supported loop, and in cooperation with the engagingpulley It) bears downwardlyon belt 1', thus tipping the instantly cablereleasing peg 2w downwardly tofacilitate loop release. The belt 1engages the lower portion of the periphery of pulley 14 and thereafterpasses over pulley 10 downwardly onto pulley 11. The belt 1 thusenvelops the conveyor'belt 7. This arrangement readily admits ofsimultaneous deposition of a plurality of cables similar to cable 5; tothis end, the hclt 1' is wound around the pulleyslO to at multiplespaced locations, whereasthe roller'sor pulleys 4' at correspondinglyspaced locations'feed multiple cables 5.

As the angle ,8 is the base angle of the isosceles right triangle, it isnecessarily 45. Still assuming proper tilt of the belt 1', let theprojected transversecable length on the conveyor belt be designated byL, and let the vertical distance from the line defining the ends of thedeposited free loops to the indicated projection of belt 1' bedesignated as H.

It is appreciated that the lengths L and H define a similar isoscelesright triangle. Corresponding lengths referring to the two intermediateloop supporting pegs 2a and 2b, are designated by L and H and byL and Hrespectively. As a cable length of initial height H reaches point 2a,the dimension H is divided into a vertical part H and a horizontal partLL' similarly at the point 2b 5 the division is into a vertical part Hand a horizontal part L-L2.

Under conditions of proper tilt and proper relations of peg belt andconveyor belt speeds, as previously described, and upon properadjustment and correlation of belt speed and cable feed rate, the lengthof the deposited transverse cable section will be L or H.

It is also possible, in order to deposit several cable lengths onto aconveyor band or like movable support, that belt 1' after its engagementwith deviation roll or pulley 10, as depicted in Fig. 2 is guided inupward direction and in similar manner is conducted to a second pair ofcooperable supply rollers as hereinafter described in connection withrollers 4'. Finally the cable is led back to the conveyor or transportband 7 and back to the first pair of supply rollers 4'.

Cable 1', which according to Fig. 2 runs only once in inclined positionand downwardly via conveyor band 7, would in the above mentionedmodification run X times in saw-like fashion downwardly and thenvertically in an upward direction with respect to conveyor band 7.

Since the conveyor band 7 supports the cable or like material at apredetermined speed and since the relative speed between the peg belt 1or 1' and conveyor belt 7 in the direction of arrow 8 is equal orsubstantially equal to zero, the cable is laid down parallel to line 24.The speed ratio of the peg belt to that of the conveyor belt is in suchcase A:B.

Pegs 2, 2a, 2b etc. are so arranged on belt 1 or 1, that they aredirected horizontally or at an acute angle and toward the loop, when therelative speed in the direction of arrow 8 is equal to zero, yet thespeed in the direction of arrow 9, however, assumes a predeterminedvalue, so that the respective peg will be withdrawn from the associatedloop. It is further possible to cause the conveyor band 7 to run at aspeed larger than the aforesaid ratio A:B, so that the loops do notextend at 90 tothe edges of the conveyor band but rather at anydesirable angle, so that the relative speed between peg belt 1 andconveyor band 7 as seen in the direction of arrow 8 does not amount tozero.

Fig. 4 indicates only for the purpose of comparison how the deposit ofthe cable and its loops is carried out according to the prior art.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided according to thisinvention a system for handling and depositing continuous, substantiallyflaccid strip material in winding formation on a movable, elongatedconveyor band for treatment thereon; comprising supply roller meanslocated above and in proximity of the rearward longitudinal edge of saidconveyor band for feeding said strip material, and endless transfermeans provided with spaced apart projecting pegs arranged to move from aposition below said supply roller means toward a position at the forwardlongitudinal edge of said conveyor band, said supply roller means andsaid endless transfer means being coordinated to each other andperforming a relative movement, so that successive loops of stripmaterial are formed astride and above said pegs and therebelow, of whichsaid loops below said pegs freely depend from the latter for contactwith the surface of said conveyor band at the rearward edge thereof,whereas said loops of strip material astride said pegs remain in contactwith the latter until stripped otfautomaticallyfat the forward edge ofsaid conveyor band, thereby to transfer acontinuous: ly deposited stripmaterial onto the'latterwith windings produced adjacent said forward andrearward-longitudinab edges of said conveyor band, the speed of saidconveyor band relative to the speeds of said. strip material fed bysaid. supply roller'means and of said transfer means being coordinatedin predetermined timed relation, thereby to orient said deposited stripmaterial in winding formation on said conveyor band at a predeterminedangle to the direction of its movement; Yarious changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spiritland scope ofthe present invention audit is intende'dthat such obviouslchanges andmodifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is: 1. A cable depositing apparatuscomprising the combination of elongated conveyormeans having front andrear longitudinal edges and moving in a substantially hori zontal planeat a first predetermined speed, with elongated endless belt means spacedapart from said conveyor means and moving at a second predeterminedspeed from a predetermined first location, said location being situatedat a predetermined height above said conveyor means and generally abovesaid rear edge, means guiding said endless belt means further to asecond predetermined location situated slightly above said conveyormeans and generally above and forwardly of said front edge, thereby toextend at a predetermined angle of inclination with respect to saidconveyor means, a plurality of substantially equidistantly spaced pegssecured to said belt means and extending therefrom at substantiallyequal predetermined angles therewith, and means for feeding at apredetermined third speed substantially greater than said second speed acontinuous length of' said cable from above said first locationdownwardly for engagement with said pegs, successively, said cable byvirtue of the difference of said second and third speeds forming aplurality of pairs of cable lengths on each peg, whereby said pairs ofcable lengths are looped over each one of said pegs and dependrespectively'from the rear toward the front edge of said conveyor means,each dependent cable length forming a free loop for deposit adjacentsaid rear edge-of said conveyor means, said pegs carrying said cablelengths looped on said pegs during movement of said belt meansdownwardly and depositing said cable lengths in parallel and closelyspaced relation on said conveyor means at a preselected angle to thedirection of movement of said conveyor means, so that the free loopscontact the latter and are deposited adjacent said rear edge while thepeg-supported loops are deposited adjacent said front edge upon slippingoff of their associated pegs at said second location.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second speed isgreater than said first speed.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angle of inclinationis an acute angle so that the deposited cable lengths extend obliquelywith respect to the direction of movement of said conveyor means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, said belt means being tilted at apredetermined angle, with-the aforesaid second location ahead of saidfirst location as seen in the direction of movement of saidconveyor-means, whereby the cable lengths are deposited at right angleswith respect to the direction of said movement of said conveyor means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pegs extend from saidbelt means in their loop-forming location in parallel relation to saidconveyor means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said three speedsis maintained substantially constant.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, including further means engagingsaid belt means in the proximity of said second location andeffectuating tipping of said pegs therea't, whereby deposit of theassociated "peg-sup ported loops 'on saidconveyor means iszfacilitated.

8..A system'forhan'dling and depositingmcontinuous,substantiallyiflaccid strip material .in winding .formation on.:amovable elongated conveyor band for treatment thereon; comprising supplyroller means locatedabove and in proximity of the rearward :longitudinaledge of "said conveyor band for Lfeeding said .strip imaterial, andendless 'transfer'm'eans providedwith spaced apart projectingtpegsarranged to .move from a positionbelow said supply roller means toward aposition at ."the forward longitudinal xedge ufssaid"conveyorhand,said-supply roller 'means Ja'ndisai'd endless'itransfer means'b'eingco'ordinated ito each :"other and performing a relativermovement, so that 'a'successiv'e .loops of strip material are .formed'astride "and above :said pegs and 'there'hel'ow, "of which said loopsbelow said =pegs freely-depend from the latter for contact with thesurface iof zsaitl conveyorband at the rearward edge thereof, whereassaid loops o'f =strip material astride said pegs remain incont-act withthe latter '8 until stripped off automatically at the forward edge ofsaid conveyor band, thereby to transfer acontinuously deposited stripmaterial onto the latter with "windings produced adjacent said forwardand rearward longitudinal edges of said conveyor band, the speed ofsaidconveyor band relative to the speeds of said strip material fed bysaid supply roller means and of said transfer meansbeing coordinated-inpredeterminedtimed relation,

' thereby to orient said depositedstrip material in winding formation onsaid conveyor band at apredetermined angle to the direction of itsmovement.

tReferences Citetl in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

